‘New UK regulations have been published that significantly extend the duty to report financial sanctions breaches. Previously only banks, financial institutions, certain EEA credit institutions, and currency exchange businesses were obliged to report, but the duty now applies to a far broader range of professions and sectors.’

‘The substantive claim was a straight forward, low value personal injury claim arising out of a road traffic accident. Liability was admitted. Trial directions were given, requiring witness statements to be served by 3rd November 2016. At the eleventh hour, the Claimant’s solicitors sought an extension of two weeks from the Defendant, which was agreed (an “indulgence” in the view of the judge on appeal).’

‘In Reece Gladwin v Adrian Bogescu [2017] EWHC 1287 (QB) the Court was concerned with an appeal by the Defendant in a road traffic accident claim against a decision to grant the Claimant relief from sanctions, following late service of the Claimant’s witness evidence.’

‘The Communities Secretary acted for an unauthorised purpose and therefore unlawfully when he issued statutory guidance on the investment strategy for the local government pension scheme (LGPS) that sought to prevent boycotts, divestment and sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries.’

‘Many people like to have a say over the investment policies of their pension funds. They may not want investment in fossil fuels, companies with questionable working practices, arms manufacturers, Israel or indeed any company which supports Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip – to choose but a few of people’s current choices. And pension funds, left to their own devices, may wish to adopt one or more of these choices to reflect their pensioners’ views.’

‘The Government acted unlawfully by seeking to restrict “ethical” boycotts of Israel, the High Court has ruled. After accepting a judicial review, the judge said Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, acted unlawfully in issuing guidance to restrict local councils from pursuing boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel through their pension schemes.’

‘A High Court judge has described as “absurd” the conduct of parties in an employment dispute that produced thousands of pages in bundles – but only referred to 100 of them – and skeleton arguments more than seven times the expected length.’

‘UK charities face a permanent “chilling effect” on their campaigns after the Electoral Commission said they must declare any work that could be deemed political over the past 12 months to ensure they are not in breach of the Lobbying Act.’

‘The Appellant (the sixth Defendant in proceedings regarding the bankruptcy of her father) sought relief from sanctions after her application for permission to appeal was struck out for failure to provide a transcript of the judgment.’

‘Gambling firms that fail to tackle problem gambling and money laundering face heftier fines and a higher risk of losing their operating licence under a tougher regime to be unveiled by the industry’s regulator.’

‘Rupert Murdoch’s media company News UK is to be censured by Parliament for its conduct in the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal. It is understood that the House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee will find the company and a number of senior individuals guilty of misleading Parliament.’

‘After the shock waves felt as a result of the Brexit vote, how should companies deal with corporate governance and criminal risk issues? What should companies be monitoring as they await changes that will take place once the Brexit Article 50 trigger is pulled?’

‘The fact that a clinical negligence case had become a quantum-only dispute did not take it out of the costs management regime, meaning that the claimant’s failure to serve a costs budget restricted its recoverable costs to the court fees only, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

‘Ashley Cukier considers the decision in McTear and another v Engelhard and others [2016] EWCA Civ 487, the successful appeal of a first instance judgment handed down after Mitchell but before Denton.’

‘Benefit sanctions are “devastating” for claimants and can lead to destitution, crime, suicide, and throw up barriers to employment, a wide-ranging report probing the effects of removing payments from Salford’s residents has claimed.’